<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>KINGSNAKE by hey there sunshine -- (thatsquite_punwise_ofyou)</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26131444">KINGSNAKE</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatsquite_punwise_ofyou/pseuds/hey%20there%20sunshine%20--'>hey there sunshine -- (thatsquite_punwise_ofyou)</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Wanderlust (RP)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Assassination, Buckle in kids, Crown Prince - Freeform, Gen, Multi, Other, caesar sexy, chronicles of a death foretold anyone?, kingdom tingz, quasi medieval, self fulfilling prophecy perhaps</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 03:47:44</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,801</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26131444</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatsquite_punwise_ofyou/pseuds/hey%20there%20sunshine%20--</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>ilasos kids ft coming of age arcs ig</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Laurel / Remi, Terrence / Jericho</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Prologue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Moth! You’re finally home! I thought you got kidnapped.”</p><p> </p><p>Queen Eureka Ilasos had been released from the stifling confines of her bedroom for less than an hour and already her four-year-old son assaulted her with affection. Despite living underground, Eureka had never felt more claustrophobic. Despite this, she welcomed her son’s jubilant hug.</p><p> </p><p>“Hey, your belly shrinked!” exclaimed the young Terrence.</p><p> </p><p>Eureka held a package in her arms. She deftly shifted her weight to release one of these arms for the purpose of ruffling her son’s hair; the weight of the bundle was more than supported with her other arm, wielding the expert care of a mother.</p><p> </p><p>“Yes, Terrence, it certainly did,” Eureka agreed with the virtue of patience inherent to all mothers. “That’s because your baby sister finally came out. Come see her.” Eureka knelt, for Terry had little chance of meeting his sister when he stood at a child’s height below his mother. The mother shifted the blanket swaddling her infant so that her lovely little face was exposed.</p><p> </p><p>“A <em>sister</em>?” Terrence groaned. “I wanted a little brother! You should get a new one, Moth.” His lisp pronounced itself in his agitation, but a look down at the sleeping baby brought Terry’s tension down. His complaints ceased.</p><p> </p><p>Terry mimicked his mother’s habit of head patting and performed it, as gently as he dared, on the baby. “Well, I guess she’s kind of cute,” he conceded.</p><p> </p><p>“Her name is Laurel,” Eureka said. “And I’m sure you’ll be an excellent big brother, Terry.”</p><p> </p><p>Terrence’s expression lit up like a flame struck to eager kindling. “Yes, Moth, I’ll be the bestest big brother ever!” he vowed.</p><p> </p><p>His eyes fell upon the sleeping baby again. Laurel. Terry meant every word he said.</p><p> </p><p>He still wanted a little brother, though.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Oceane</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Libraries were places of refuge. They were peaceful sanctuaries; quiet realms detached and separate from the rest of the world. Like a little dimension- that was a term Prince Oceane Ilasos had picked up from one of his many readings in this happy little world tucked away from everything else.</p><p> </p><p>He sat with a worn tome lined with the history of another nation. Oceane’s body curled around it like he was a snake and the book his prey, squeezing it to death until it divulged its knowledge. It was heavy, rich with knowledge, saturated with words.</p><p> </p><p>Oceane remembered the first time he’d been introduced to the library and its scents of dust and creaking wood that whispered decades of secrets that could be discovered if one only thumbed the yellowing pages eaten away by time. His older brother Terrence had been the one to show him the quiet little passage – a modest tunnel as forgettable as any other in Gaelica; its significance lay in its destination – that opened into the cosy library.</p><p> </p><p>Oceane had been eight at the time and hardly able to appreciate the depth of the well he drank from. Five years of tedious tutoring and familiarising himself with the world of literature later, Oceane felt that he was better equipped than ever to devour the juicy texts the library offered.</p><p> </p><p>More often than not Oceane was found in his current position, nestled warmly in a particularly comfortable armchair. Unfortunately, this peaceful suspension of reality could only ever be temporary. Oceane was obligated by his nature as a prince to spend time with his family and participate in some state affairs. Even though he wasn’t Crown Prince, Oceane underwent grooming for the throne, just in case of the unlikely event of Terry’s demise.</p><p> </p><p>Noel Terrence Pierre Ilasos was a mouthful of a name, which was probably why Oceane’s older brother had a penchant for nicknames and went by Terry. Oceane knew he could never match up to the star in Gaelica’s underground night that was his older brother, but that was okay. Oceane’s goal never had been to be his brother. He was content, here in the library with his books and modest ambitions to be a scholar someday.</p><p> </p><p>Most things in life were unfortunately temporary, and Oceane’s blissful feast in the library could only last for so long. Oceane heard a door open somewhere behind him. He’d become so accustomed to such interruptions, he could usually identify who was about to tell him he had to leave.</p><p> </p><p>Slow, cautious steps. Uncertain of their position or direction. Oceane knew those steps very well; they belonged to his older sister, Laurel.</p><p> </p><p>“Cherrie!” greeted Oceane. This address served more purpose than courtesy; it marked Oceane’s position for Laurel, who navigated by sound. Her head shifted in Oceane’s direction, and her steps became more solid and certain than before.</p><p> </p><p>“What is it?” Oceane asked, forcing traces of annoyance out of his tone. He may have become accustomed to this unpleasant business of interruptions on his times of companionship with his books, but by no means was he desensitised to it. Had it been anyone but Laurel (or perhaps Terry), Oceane surely would have not made that effort to clean his voice of irritation.</p><p> </p><p>“Moth said that Val and Terry can take us up to the surface for a few hours,” Laurel said with unmistakable excitement. She plowed on toward the sound of Oceane’s voice, undeterred by the obstacles in her path: small tables accosting her and a few scattered books attempting to balk her. Oceane stood to meet her so that she didn’t continue her immovable motion into the armchair dividing them.</p><p> </p><p>Then her words sank in, and Oceane stopped metaphorising. “She did?” Surprised coloured his tone. Then it made way for the same excitement tinting Laurel’s infectious tone. “Well, then, what are we waiting for? Where are they?” Impatience possessed Oceane’s calm, quiet nature with no warning.</p><p> </p><p>“Waiting for you, O! Come on, I’ll lead the way.” Laurel found Oceane’s shoulder with one of her hands and followed it like a map, moving southerly to grip his hand. Once their fingers were clasped like a lock coming together, Laurel tugged Oceane down the modest corridor that trickled to the palace where they lived. Oceane took the lead a moment later, though, as usually happened when travelling with Laurel.</p><p> </p><p>Oceane (and, by proxy, Laurel) walked hastily. He was always eager to drink words from books, true… but experiencing the alien world above was definitely preferable to merely reading about it.</p><p> </p><p>“What were you reading about?” asked Laurel’s voice. She may not have been able to read books, herself, but sometimes Oceane or Terry would read aloud to her, which was just as good as reading it for herself- sometimes Oceane thought that it was even better.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, nothing super interesting. I was really curious about the details of Lendoch’s history and my tutor didn’t really go into it, so I was reading up on that,” Oceane said with a spot of warmth in his chest. His older siblings had a way of making anyone feel special. It just took a few words. Really, it was no wonder that people liked Terry and Laurel so much. And was it any wonder that Oceane could hardly say the same about himself?</p><p> </p><p>“And what was in it?” Laurel pressed with a note of curiosity in her own voice, like Oceane’s thirst for knowledge was as contagious as her excitement earlier.</p><p> </p><p>Oceane thought back on what he’d read and quickly came up with a vague answer; it would take nearly as long to summarise the text as it would to actually read it. “Um, well, I’m reading about the diarchy thing right now, it’s, uh, a long story.”</p><p> </p><p>Laurel’s hand squeezed his. “Well, then, you’ll have to read it to me sometime,” she said with a voice like the underground flowers that bloomed in the dark. Gentle, tender, to be handled delicately. But glad to grow where they grew and provide a little beauty- even when hardly anyone could see them.</p><p> </p><p>The siblings were welcomed into Gaelica’s palace by a man with an exhausted face like he’d seen too much of the world. The look was augmented by the eye patch over one of his eyes, like maybe Valentin <em>had </em>seen too much of the world.</p><p> </p><p>Val was an intimidating figure, but the Ilasos children knew their appointed guard well. He was offhand and cool like one of the nonchalant rivers moving through the channels in Gaelica’s caves. Val was also just as refreshing and vital as that water.</p><p> </p><p>He stood with hands on his hips and an expectant look on his time-worn face, more weathered than the sky Oceane had read about- and was about to see, he thought cheerfully as he remembered the whole reason he and Laurel met Val in the first place.</p><p> </p><p>“Took you two long enough,” Valentin said with his voice that reminded Oceane again of a river- rough, and it didn’t care where it flowed. “Come on, it’s gonna be a long walk.”</p><p> </p><p>“No Caesar?” Oceane asked. Caesar, like Val, was appointed to protect all three of the children. He was a little more... expressive than Val, but just as dedicated to his duty. Hence the surprise in Oceane’s question at not seeing Caesar around.</p><p> </p><p>Val shook his head. “No, he told me he gets ill when he goes aboveground, so I offered to go alone with you three,” he explained with a shrug. His nonchalance wasn’t necessarily warranted, given that it would surely be dangerous to traverse the unknown world above. But on the other hand, Val was surely more than sufficient for protection. Laurel didn’t seem to have any problem with it, so Oceane didn’t, either.</p><p> </p><p>With Val joining their ranks, the pair became a three, and the three headed outside- or what passed for an ‘outside’ in Gaelica. Terrence, the eldest of the Ilasos children, stood with crossed arms. Oceane recognized the tension in his squared shoulders and stiff posture; he’d seen it before when Terry was stressed. Oceane could only guess that his brother’s numerous duties as heir to the throne were becoming tedious.</p><p> </p><p>And yet here Terrence was, making the effort of accompanying his siblings on their first trip to the surface world. Terry had been before – naturally; he was expected to be familiar with the alien world above once he was king – but this would be Oceane and Laurel’s first time. It was an unofficial rite of passage, this quest to experience the overworld even for the short hour or two they would be allowed.</p><p> </p><p>Valentin hadn’t been joking when he said it’d be a long walk. It would’ve taken at least a half hour of walking, even if the group hadn’t been impeded by Laurel and her unfamiliarity with the terrain (Oceane knew she was familiar with Gaelica, but expecting her to know <em>all </em>of it was as unfair as expecting Oceane to memorise every book he read; this need for guidance was Val’s purpose in holding Laurel’s hand during the walk).</p><p> </p><p>Oceane didn’t particularly mind long walks, though. He figured that his admittedly shrimpy body could use the physical exercise when he spent most of his time exercising in ways that only affected his mind and did nothing for his body- unless he counted eye strain or stiffness from reading in the same position for hours on end.</p><p> </p><p>And besides, it wasn’t as if a long walk couldn’t involve conversation, either. It seemed Terry was the first to realise this, for he instigated conversation… like he usually did. Terry was a social person, very approachable. He had a kind face, but Oceane could see shadows of tired lines under his eyes, in his forehead, and the space between his eyebrows. People said that he and Terry looked alike, but the person Oceane saw in the mirror could never be compared to somebody like Terrence.</p><p> </p><p>“Excited to see the surface?” he asked.</p><p> </p><p>“No,” Laurel said after a moment surely intended to give Oceane a chance to reply first, which he didn’t. “I don’t see much of anything.”</p><p> </p><p>The uphill hike came to stop. A silence blanketed the group. All (functioning) gazes directed themselves at Terry. Val’s stoic look was almost unchanged, but Oceane and Terry could plainly see the hint of wry amusement in the corners of his lips and raised brow. Oceane looked at his brother with mirth that was shyer than Val’s, but present nonetheless.</p><p> </p><p>Laurel did not look at anyone, likely due to the fact that she couldn’t look at anything.</p><p> </p><p>The moment of awkward silence passed, broken by a titter from Laurel that spread to the rest of the group. Terry recovered quickly and posed the question again. “Uh, what about you, Oceane?”</p><p> </p><p>With comedy’s moment come and gone, Oceane was glad to provide his brother with a reprieve. He smiled and nodded, enthusiasm returning with full force. “Yes! Especially the plants and animals and sky and water and people and…” He paused as the words that had escaped from his heart caught up to his head. Oceane’s stomach churned like someone was stirring his insides with a massive spoon, the way it always churned when he felt he’d spoken too much and overstepped his boundaries. “Um. Yes, I’m really excited,” he finished in a smaller voice.</p><p> </p><p>Terry laughed his siren laugh- a beautiful sound of mirth that left anyone who heard it hopelessly charmed. Oceane wished he could replicate that laugh. He wondered if Laurel wished the same thing. He doubted it.</p><p> </p><p>“Good to hear it, O,” Terry commended. Oceane’s head was attacked by his older brother’s hand a moment later. Having his hair ruffled was just as comfortable as having his internal organs ruffled, but Oceane withstood this barrage with what he hoped was bravery.</p><p> </p><p>The question was turned (again) to Laurel a second later, and this time, Terry phrased his question more carefully. Oceane looked at Laurel as she spoke. She might’ve been unable to perceive light herself, but Oceane liked to think that she glowed with the same bioluminescence as the fungi growing around them. A halo of warmth, almost, despite the mildly reptilian condition of every Gaelican.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m just glad to spend time with you three,” she replied. That warm halo manifested in her voice. Oceane hoped she’d still be able to enjoy the surface even if she couldn’t see the plants and animals and sky and water and people.</p><p> </p><p>“Glad to hear it, Cherrie,” Terrence chirped. Oceane didn’t speak.</p><p> </p><p>Oceane wasn’t very good at keeping track of time. It was a finicky, liquid thing, and always seemed to change its own rules. It moved quicker than it seemed it ought to, and clocks tended to move at atrocious speed the second his eyes averted themselves (usually to gorge himself on literature). Despite this, he estimated they’d been walking for around a half hour. According to Val, the walk would take between forty-five minutes and an hour.</p><p> </p><p>So the siblings chatted. Usually, Oceane wasn’t particularly interested in any sort of dialogue that wasn’t printed in a book, but his siblings were another matter. Perhaps Terry and Laurel’s personalities naturally inclined even someone as introverted Oceane toward conversation. He wouldn’t be surprised.</p><p> </p><p>“So, gotta ask, O…” Terry said slowly, with the same grim foreboding that Oceane knew from his books tended to come before a grave prophecy. Oceane’s chest pulsed with panic that had no root. A raging river with no clear source. Terry moved to walk beside Oceane and snaked an arm around his younger brother’s shoulder. The river swelled.</p><p> </p><p>Terrence leaned in to speak with a conspiratorial air. This was an interrogation. Oceane stared with wide eyes. His knees threatened to shake, dissuaded only by the constant walking toward the surface. “Um… Yeah, Ter?” squeaked Oceane.</p><p> </p><p>Terrence’s next words came with utmost seriousness. The air in Gaelica was usually still, but either they were getting close to the surface or Oceane was simply imagining the chilling breeze sending shivers down his spine and icicles through his chest. “Met anybody lately who’s caught your eye?”</p><p> </p><p>The effect of Terry’s words was immediate. Behind them, Laurel stifled a titter and Val smiled indulgently. Meanwhile, Oceane’s anxiety shrivelled like a corpse in sped-up time. He elbowed Terry in the side, but clearly his brother had anticipated this; Terry had already stepped out of the way, grinning like a poltergeist.</p><p> </p><p>“No!” shrieked Oceane. His voice cracked. His face warmed uncomfortably. “I’m not even- not even <em>interested </em>in that stuff- ew!” Was this what hysteria felt like?</p><p> </p><p>Terry laughed, a merry sound that bounced off the cave walls. “Relax, O! I’m teasing!” he cackled. His words might’ve been true, but his tone hardly helped his case. Terry clapped a hand on Oceane’s shoulder, which might’ve been a touching move had the gesture not been to support himself while he laughed. Oceane glanced uncomfortably as Laurel.</p><p> </p><p>Sometimes Oceane wondered just how blind Laurel really was. She seemed to detect the glance in her direction, like a spider aware of a predator sizing her up from behind. Laurel stepped over and silently separated her brothers.</p><p> </p><p>“Come on,” she urged. “I can smell a change in the air, probably the surface. So stop teasing the baby, Terry.”</p><p> </p><p>This was Laurel’s gentle method of defusing the situation; she threw in a humorous note at the end and provided reason for the group to continue on their way as well as ceasing the teasing on Oceane. He wondered if this was intentional. He wouldn’t be surprised if it wasn’t; Laurel was a natural at this kind of thing. He’d never met anyone who didn’t like Laurel. Oceane supposed this was why she warranted the affectionate nickname ‘Cherrie’ Terry gave her when Oceane was a baby.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, alright, then,” conceded Terrence. He glanced at Val, who had stood by and let the siblings sort out their own situation like he usually did. Terry nodded at him, and the group pressed on toward the surface.</p><p> </p><p>Of course, Oceane could not remember his birth. Nobody could. But as he emerged from the caves into a world lit by the sun, Oceane had the vivid thought that this must’ve been what birth felt like. Entering a new world from a womb- was stone and flesh really that different?</p><p> </p><p>The foursome braved an uphill slope (though Laurel was delegated to Val’s back, for she surely would have had a hard time navigating the rocky slope), then emerged in a spray of water.</p><p> </p><p>“The lake!” Oceane exclaimed. He’d only ever read about the waterfall ceiling Gaelica from the world. It also fed a tranquil lake he’d only ever witnessed in his mind’s eye when devouring Gaelican history books or listening to his tutor prattle on about it.</p><p> </p><p>Valentin, who had remained more or less quiet up to this point, now cleared his throat. He carefully set Laurel down and helped her find her balance, then cast a significant look toward Terry, like casting a mighty fishnet seeking to capture Terry’s attention. Apparently the fishnet had a hole in it, though, for Terrence stared at the image of the lake beyond, distorted by the waterfall.</p><p> </p><p>Oceane’s head inclined to the side as his eyes stared at his brother. He wondered what filled Terry’s face with that look. Lost in a reverie, as if he’d fallen asleep on his feet with his eyes open. Lost in a dream.</p><p> </p><p>Val cast his fishnet again and missed… again. With his throat clearing having little success, Val resorted to waking Terry up verbally.</p><p> </p><p>“Your Highness,” Val said. “Terrence.” A half second later, Terry moved like he’d been caught red-handed in something he shouldn’t have. Guilty.</p><p> </p><p>Oceane glanced at Laurel, whose eyebrows had dipped down while her lips remained neutral.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh. Yeah, sorry,” Terry said, recovering quickly. His hands rested on his hips, and he faced his siblings. It struck Oceane how much taller Terry was compared to either himself or Laurel. There was almost a foot between the brothers, plus ten years. Even if the latter couldn’t be helped, the height difference would hopefully lessen with time.</p><p> </p><p>“This is the magic waterfall enchanted by um… An old oracle magician person,” Terry said. Eloquence was a trait he reserved for more diplomatic solutions, apparently. Oceane tried not to laugh.</p><p> </p><p>“It’s enchanted to keep out anyone bearing ill will toward Gaelica,” Terry continued. The words came slightly more comfortably from his mouth, now. “It’s-”</p><p> </p><p>“They know. Everyone in Gaelica knows, Ter,” Valentin interrupted with a voice like the hand he’d used to guide Laurel during the hike- gentle, but firm as steel. “Come on, Your Highness, they’ve walked this much to <em>see </em>the outside, not just learn about it.” Or maybe not so gentle.</p><p> </p><p>One of Terrence’s hands moved to scratch at the back of his neck. “Ah. Right, of course. Come on, guys. We’ll have to walk through the water, but it’s enchanted so you won’t get soaked, so don’t worry.” Oceane wondered how Terry knew that; he didn’t remember ever learning about that aspect of the waterfall’s magic.</p><p> </p><p>Oceane eyed the water rushing down distrustfully. It was hard <em>not </em>to distrust the cascades of water endlessly rolling down from above, maliciously wiping away rocks and plants indiscriminately that dared venture into the water’s path. Logically, though, Oceane knew he should trust Terrence.</p><p> </p><p>Laurel, of course, was undeterred by any of this. The sound of water crashing down on the lake was all she knew of the waterfall, and it didn’t seem to bother her much. “Ter,” she called over its sound. Terry took her hand at once. He prepared to step through the water, lifting a leg to do so. But Terry paused and offered his hand to Oceane.</p><p> </p><p>Terry smiled, a second invitation. It was unnecessary; Oceane took his hand at once.</p><p> </p><p>It was a breath of fresh air. Oceane had never realised how stagnant the air underground was. He could see (or rather, smell) what Laurel meant when she’d said earlier that the air had been different on their way up. It was different… Fresh.</p><p> </p><p>Oceane gulped in breath after breath, desperately trying to fill his lungs with as much of this fantastic new world as he could. His eyes were no better; Oceane took in the world around him even more readily than he’d taken in the books he was so obsessed with.</p><p> </p><p>He felt a hand on his shoulder. Terry. “Pretty cool, huh?” He leaned on that hand. Oceane was paying such little attention that he nearly toppled over right then and there.</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah,” was all Oceane could get out.</p><p> </p><p>The sky was blue. Not blue like the glowing fungi or crystals underground, and certainly not like the scheming unreadable depths of the rivers channeling through the caves. It was brilliant, bright, and beautiful blue.</p><p> </p><p>Oceane loved it. He knew, with this first glimpse into this world, that he never wanted to leave.</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>